Department for International Development

Palestinians: Water Supply

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent assessment has been made of the access to clean drinking water and adequate water supplies for the Palestinian people in the Occupied Territories.

Baroness Verma: Water and sanitation facilities in Gaza are declining. Demand for water exceeds supply by nearly four times and 96% of extracted water currently fails WHO safety standards. 40% of Gaza’s population receive just 5-8 hours of water every 3 days. In the West Bank the Joint Water Committee has not met for a number of years, which continues to stall agreement of water projects. In the West Bank, there are reports of reduced water supplies in large parts of the West Bank during Ramadan.UK officials are in regular dialogue with Israel, the Palestinian Authority (PA), the UN, World Bank, EU and other development actors on energy and water issues in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We continue to press both parties to reconvene the Joint Water Committee to facilitate approval of projects that will improve Palestinian access to water. Through the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, DFID has invested up to £1.24m to help vulnerable rural farmers in Area C and improve irrigation efficiency by rehabilitation of water systems. The UK supports partners such as the UN Works and Relief Agency, who provide basic services and repair water infrastructure in Gaza. Through the Climate Action for Middle East and North Africa programme, DFID has provided €600,000 to develop project preparation documents for the Gaza Desalination Plant.

Israel: Palestinians

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Israeli water supplier, Mekorot, reduced water supply to the West Bank during Ramadan.

Baroness Verma: The UK regularly raises the issue of water in the OPTs with the Israeli authorities, most recently on 27 June. We continue to stress the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve the current situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza. We encourage both parties to find a swift resolution to this issue and to reconvene the Joint Water Committee to facilitate approval of projects that will improve Palestinian access to water. We see continuity of supply to the West Bank as essential for both the basic needs of Palestinians and for stability and security more widely.

Developing Countries: Hepatitis

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take to ensure that the UK delivers on the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030, to which it committed at the 69th World Health Assembly on 28 May.

Baroness Verma: The UK is supporting efforts to tackle viral hepatitis through a number of different channels. We support hygiene promotion and improving access to clean and safe water, to reduce the risk of transmission of hepatitis A and E. We are the largest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which increases access to immunisation in low income countries – including protection against hepatitis B. We support UNITAID, which is working to improve access to better diagnostics for hepatitis C, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), which is working to reduce prices and increase access to new treatments. In addition DFID supports comprehensive harm reduction programmes and strategies through its support to the Global Fund, which help reduce transmission of both HIV and Hepatitis C.DFID’s health focus is to improve the provision of basic health services for the poorest by strengthening health systems, improving health worker capacity and increasing access to essential medicines and equipment. Increasing coverage, access and quality will strengthen health services to address all health problems including viral hepatitis.

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of the Global Fund in the fight against Malaria.

Baroness Verma: The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has played a critical role in the fight against malaria. To date, it has invested $7 billion to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease. Between 2002 and 2015, this support has helped distribute approximately 600 million mosquito nets and treated over 515 million cases of malaria. Given that the Global Fund contributes 58% of all international finance for malaria, it has played an important role in helping reduce deaths from the disease by 48% between 2000-2014.With 1 in 10 child deaths in Africa still caused by malaria, the UK recognises that more needs to be done to tackle this deadly, but preventable disease. That is why earlier this year, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State committed that the UK would spend £500 million a year to help tackle malaria. This support will contribute towards reducing the death rate from malaria by 90% by 2030.

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what level of resourcing from the international community needs to be applied to meet the Global Fund's target of saving an additional eight million people at risk of dying from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Baroness Verma: The investment case for the Fifth Replenishment of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) projects that a successful replenishment of $13bn will enable the Global Fund to save 8 million lives and avert up to 300 million new infections over the period 2017-2019.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

EURATOM

Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to leave the European Atomic Energy Community.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The implications of the European referendum result for our membership of the European Atomic Energy Community have yet to be determined. It will be for the Government, under the new Prime Minister, to begin negotiations to exit the EU and determine our future relationship with the European Atomic Energy Community.

Department of Health

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Lord Chadlington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to engage with individuals who are aware of having an alcohol problem but have not, because they are too ashamed or frightened, sought help.

Lord Chadlington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to provide non-religious support to people with alcohol misuse problems.

Lord Chadlington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what online resources are readily available for people struggling with alcohol misuse.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Local authorities and their health and wellbeing board partners have responsibility for planning the full range of alcohol services, from early intervention and prevention, through to commissioning alcohol treatment services to meet need in their area and ensure services are accessible to everyone. Furthermore in line with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) public health guidance (PH 24) Alcohol-use disorders: preventing harmful drinking, Public Health England (PHE) encourages health and social care professionals to carry out Identification and Brief Advice through general practitioners and programmes such as NHS Health Checks and Making Every Contact Count. A copy of the NICE guidance is attached. The majority of services offer interventions that are non-religious and are based on cognitive behavioural principles with motivational enhancement techniques. There are a number of online resources to help with alcohol issues, including the One You and NHS Choices websites. One You is an integrated social marketing campaign run by PHE which aims to engage adults in making changes to improve their own health. This includes offering users advice and information about alcohol as well as tools which help monitor their drinking. NHS Choices offers a range of information about alcohol dependence and includes an on online directory of local alcohol services that those worried about their alcohol use can approach for assistance.



Alcohol-use disorders: prevention NICE guidance
(PDF Document, 288.32 KB)

Childbirth

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what reductions they aim to achieve in rates of (1) stillbirths, (2) neonatal deaths, and (3) brain injuries, in (a) single pregnancies, and (b) multiple pregnancies, by 2030.

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when, where and how often they plan to publish a formal update on progress made towards achieving their aim of halving the rates in England of stillbirths, neonatal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth by 2030.

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will include information on twins and multiple births in any formal updates on progress towards their aim of halving the rates in England of stillbirths, neonatal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth by 2030.

Lord Prior of Brampton: In November 2015, the Secretary of State announced a national ambition to halve the rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth by 2030. This ambition applies to both single and multiple pregnancies. The Department will publish an annual report on the progress towards achieving this aim and will include information on twins and multiple births. The first report will be published later this year.

Multiple Births: Perinatal Mortality

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether NHS England’s stillbirth care bundle will be reviewed to assess whether it is having an impact on reducing stillbirths among multiple pregnancies; and what plans they have to update it if further improvements are required.

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty’s Government who will be on the NHS England’s Maternity Transformation Board, and whether they plan to introduce a national maternity dashboard to provide analysis relating to both single and multiple pregnancies.

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to update the national maternity commissioning framework, and if so, whether it will include information about multiple pregnancies.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Saving Babies Lives care bundle covers all types of pregnancy, including multiple pregnancies. The care bundle will be evaluated so that it can be developed and refined to ensure that it continues to reflect best practice. The Maternity Transformation Programme Board will drive forward the implementation of the National Maternity Review, Better Births, published in February this year. It will also include work to reduce the rate of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths in England. The formation of the Board marks a clear step forward towards delivering the vision laid out in the National Maternity Review, ensuring that key organisations work together to improve maternity services. Better Births makes recommendations on the use of data including the development of a set of national indicators to aid data comparison. NHS England and its delivery partners are developing plans to implement this and the report’s other recommendations, and as part of this are considering the case for a national dashboard. A copy of both Better Births and the Saving Babies Lives care bundle are attached. The Board held its first meeting on 8 June 2016 and is chaired by Sarah-Jane Marsh, Chief Executive of Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Birmingham Women’s Hospital. The Board members and the organisations they represent are detailed in the following table. NHS England and its delivery partners are developing plans to implement the vision set out in Better Births, the report of the National Maternity Review. These plans are likely to include commissioning guidance. PersonOrganisationSarah-Jane MarshChairJane CummingsSenior Responsible Officer, Chief Nursing OfficerKeith WillettDeputy Chair, Medical Director for Acute Care, NHS EnglandMatthew JollyClinical lead (obstetrics) / workstream lead (data)Jacqueline Dunkley-BentClinical lead (midwifery)Dame Julia CumberlegeStakeholder Reference Group Chair / Clinical Commissioning Group Improvement and Assessment Framework Panel ChairFlora GoldhillDepartment of Health / workstream lead (best practice for safer care)Wendy Reid / Bill IrishHealth Education England / workstream lead (workforce)Viv BennettPublic Health England / workstream lead (public health)Ruth MayNHS Improvement (Director of Nursing)Mike DurkinNHS Improvement (Director of Patient Safety)Jimmy WalkerCare Quality CommissionLauren HughesNHS England /workstream lead (local transformation)James SandersonNHS England / workstream lead (choice and personalisation)Simon MedcalfNHS England / workstream lead (perinatal mental health)Tom DenwoodNHS Digital / workstream lead (technology)Martin CampbellNHS England / workstream lead (pricing)David RichmondRoyal College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsCathy WarwickRoyal College of MidwivesNigel AchesonRegional delivery lead / Regional Medical Director, SouthRoz LindridgeClinical Networks maternity lead / East Midlands Associate Director, Clinical Networks and Senate



Saving Babies Lives
(PDF Document, 911.94 KB)




National Maternity Review: Better Births
(PDF Document, 3.61 MB)

NHS: Negligence

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many clinical negligence legal cases there have been in the last five years; and how many of those were settled by way of a payment for damages within six months of the trial date.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHS LA) has provided the following data. In the five financial years 2010/11 to 2014/15, the NHS received a total of 51,369 new clinical negligence claims. Many of these were resolved without the commencement of legal proceedings. This figure relates to England only and does not include claims dealt with by insurers or Medical Defence Organisations, which between them handle the vast majority of claims involving private treatment and general practitioners. Data on the payment of damages within six months of a trial date is not held.

Antidepressants: Young People

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, further to the review of clinical trial evidence Comparative efficacy and tolerability of antidepressants for major depressive disorder in children and adolescents: a network meta-analysis published in the Lancet on 8 June, they intend to review clinical guidelines for the prescription of anti-depressant medication for the treatment of major depression in young people.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has advised that it regularly reviews published guidelines as a matter of good practice to check whether an update is warranted. NICE is tracking a clinical trial that is anticipated may have significant impact on the recommendations in its guideline on depression in children and young people: identification and management (CG28). A copy of this guideline is attached. NICE is co-ordinating the next review of this guideline to coincide with the publication of the outcomes of the trial, which is expected in February 2017. The Lancet paper will be considered as part of that review.



NICE guidance depression in young people
(PDF Document, 208.81 KB)

Genetics: Screening

Lord Freyberg: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 27 June (HL645), why no information is available of the number of patients who have died to date, particularly for those patients who consented prior to that answer.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Genomics England participants have consented to the collection of long term health data via the Health and Social Care Information Centre. This includes data on death but these data are collected and checked in accordance with standard procedures which means that there is a delay in linking to the whole genome sequencing data.

Genetics: Screening

Lord Freyberg: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 27 June (HL645), how many of the 8,408 rare disease genomes and 1,671 cancer genomes have been shared with Genomics England's commercial interpretation partners.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Genomics England has confirmed that 293 rare disease and 310 cancer genomes have been sent to their clinical interpretation partners. Genomics England expects this flow to increase steadily as further links with clinical interpretation providers are established.

NHS: Expenditure

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was NHS England's expenditure in 2015–16 on (1) cancer, (2) HIV, (3) cystic fibrosis, (4) multiple sclerosis, and (5) hepatitis C, and what is the UK planned expenditure in 2016–17 on each.

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was NHS England's expenditure on all specialised services, disaggregated by different condition areas, in the last financial year, and what is their planned expenditure for the current year.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Planned spend figures for specialised commissioning by NHS England at programme of care level are not generally available. However, the hepatitis C budget for 2016/17 has been published and is £191 million. Actual spend levels by NHS England are analysed to provide a breakdown for the previous year. An exercise to establish these figures is due to begin shortly. Services for Multiple Sclerosis are commissioned mainly by clinical commissioning groups and spend data is not collected centrally.

X-rays: Medical Equipment

Baroness Walmsley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether x-ray equipment bought for a hospital trust by local fundraising efforts belongs to that trust or to NHS Property Services.

Lord Prior of Brampton: On the abolition of primary care trusts in April 2013, former primary care trust land, buildings and related contracts transferred either to NHS Property Services or to National Health Service trusts, depending on the details of the individual transfer schemes. Clinical equipment was not generally transferred to NHS Property Services. Equipment donated after April 2013 directly to individual NHS hospital trusts and x-ray equipment bought for a trust by local fundraising efforts would belong to the NHS trust unless it has been specifically transferred to NHS Property Services under the terms of a particular transfer scheme.

NHS: Drugs

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what happens to unused medication sealed and in date, in hospitals on the discharge or death of a patient.

Lord Prior of Brampton: In general, if the hospital pharmacy issues medicines to a ward or individual patient and those medicines remain in the organisation, either because they are not supplied on discharge or the patient dies, then the medicines would be returned to ward stock or the pharmacy and re-used. If the medicines had been brought in to the hospital by the patient and the patient is subsequently discharged or dies, and the medicines remain in the hospital, then they would be safely disposed of by the hospital pharmacy. The main difference between the two scenarios is that, in the first there is sufficient guarantee of the storage conditions to ensure the medicines’ integrity can be assured. In the second scenario, such integrity cannot be guaranteed.

Cabinet Office

UK Withdrawal from EU

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the consent of Parliament will be obtained to a new agreement governing the UK’s relationship with the EU.

Lord Bridges of Headley: This is a matter for the new Prime Minister and their Cabinet. As the PM has said, we have now got to look at all the detailed arrangements, and Parliament will clearly have a role in making sure that we find the best way forward.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the event of the UK's withdrawal from the EU, whether they plan to amend domestic legislation prior to the ratification of any final outcome of negotiations with the EU.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The implementation of the withdrawal agreement will be a matter for the next government and the new Prime Minister.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to table motions in both Houses of Parliament to enable Parliament to debate the negotiations for the UK exiting the EU holistically, or whether they intend to table motions to debate individual elements of the negotiations.

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the event of the UK's withdrawal from the EU, both Houses would have to approve the final outcome of the negotiations between the UK and the EU.

Lord Bridges of Headley: This is a matter for the new Prime Minister and their Cabinet. As the PM has said, we have now got to look at all the detailed arrangements, and Parliament will clearly have a role in making sure that we find the best way forward.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Overseas Students

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what funding contingencies are in place in the event that the UK exiting the EU results in a drop in foreign nationals studying in Britain and Northern Ireland.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: We remain an EU member until the time we complete successful exit negotiations, with all the rights and obligations that derive from this. The UK has, and will continue to have, a world-class education system that attracts students from across the world including the EU.